Baseball player George Bell, Brooklyn Superbas pitcher, following through after throwing a baseball at West Side Grounds prior to game against Chicago Cubs 1907 Photo

SUMMARY
Informal full-length portrait of baseball player George Bell of the National League's Brooklyn Superbas baseball team, following through after throwing a baseball, standing on the field at West Side Grounds, located between West Polk Street, South Wolcott Avenue (formerly Lincoln Street), West Taylor Street, and South Wood Street in the Near West Side community area of Chicago, Illinois. SDN-053112, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago Historical Society. Notes: Brooklyn later changed its nickname to the Dodgers

George Bell

George Bell had the misfortune of playing with the Brooklyn Superbas when they were one of the worst teams in the National League. Pitching in baseball’s dead ball era, and using a heavier ball than the current one, George Bell threw a solid curve, a sinker and occasionally a spitball, that was legal in the early 1900s.

As a rookie in 1907 George Bell had an 8-16 record with a very fine 2.25 earned run average for a Brooklyn team, 65-83, that had the lowest batting average in the entire major leagues, a .232. The next season, again he lacked run support and finished with a 4-16 record and Brooklyn had a 53-101 record. However in 1909 he was 16-15 with a 2.71 ERA for a Superbas team that was 55-98. In 1910 he had a 10-27 record and led the league in losses, and he pitched the third most innings, 310, in the league. His earned run average that year was a sterling 2.64. In this time period he lost more 2-1 and 3-1 and 1-0 games then any other major league pitcher.